Compositions and nutritional products with improved emulsion stability

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a protein composition, comprising enzymatic modification of milk lecithin using phospholipase. This protein composition is then included in nutritional products to increase emulsion quality and heat stability of the final nutritional products.

1 . A method of preparing a protein composition comprising hydrolysed protein, the method comprising:
 providing an ingredient mix comprising at least one protein, and milk lecithin;   adding at least one phospholipase and performing conversion of the milk lecithin; and   performing hydrolysis of the at least one protein.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hydrolysis of the at least one protein is performed simultaneously with the conversion of the milk lecithin. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the protein is a whey protein concentrate or a whey protein fraction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the milk lecithin is native milk lecithin. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one phospholipase is phospholipase A1 and/or phospholipase A2. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 adding oil to the protein composition; and 
 drying the protein composition. 
 
     
     
         7 . A protein composition comprising hydrolysed protein, the protein composition obtained by a process comprising providing an ingredient mix comprising at least one protein, and milk lecithin; adding at least one phospholipase and performing conversion of the milk lecithin; and performing hydrolysis of the protein. 
     
     
         8 . A method of preparing a nutritional product, the method comprising:
 providing a protein composition obtained by a process comprising providing an ingredient mix comprising at least one protein, and milk lecithin; adding at least one phospholipase and performing conversion of the milk lecithin; and performing hydrolysis of the protein; and   adding one or more nutrients to the protein composition.   
     
     
         9 . A nutritional product obtained by a method comprising (i) providing a protein composition obtained by a process comprising providing an ingredient mix comprising at least one protein, and milk lecithin; adding at least one phospholipase and performing conversion of the milk lecithin; and performing hydrolysis of the protein; and (ii) adding one or more nutrients to the protein composition. 
     
     
         10 . The nutritional product of  claim 9  wherein the only emulsifiers present in the nutritional product are derived from the milk lecithin. 
     
     
         11 . The nutritional product of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is an emulsion. 
     
     
         12 . The nutritional product of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is an enteral composition or an oral composition. 
     
     
         13 . The nutritional product of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is a hypoallergenic nutritional product. 
     
     
         14 . The nutritional product of  claim 9  wherein the degree of lecithin conversion is at least 20%. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising administering to a patient a protein composition comprising hydrolysed protein, the protein composition obtained by a process comprising providing an ingredient mix comprising at least one protein, and milk lecithin; adding at least one phospholipase and performing conversion of the milk lecithin; and performing hydrolysis of the protein. 
     
     
         16 . The nutritional product of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is an oil-in-water emulsion. 
     
     
         17 . The nutritional product of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is a hypoallergenic infant formula or a hypoallergenic health care nutritional formula.